Popular Mechanics has unveiled its 2013 Automotive Excellence Awards, and not only is the Ford Escape among its 10 best vehicles, for the first time ever the magazine names a Car of the Year and Escape is editors’ choice for the award. Escape earned the honor for being “an affordable vehicle that excels in multiple auto excellence categories,” for its “excellent engine options, abundance of technology and great price.” Reviewers pointed out that “Escape is freshly minted, with a solid new chassis shared with the European Ford Kuga. The driving experience feels like it’s two full generational leaps ahead of the old Escape.

The article Popular Mechanics states “This year we introduce our first-ever Popular Mechanics Car of the Year. This is an affordable vehicle that excels in multiple auto excellence categories, not just one. No vehicle hit a variety of marks harder or topped more editors’ scorecards than the all-new 2013 Ford Escape. The Escape is freshly minted, with a solid new chassis shared with the European Ford Kuga. It’s still a compact crossover, but there’s more room inside for people and gear. The driving experience feels like it’s two full generational leaps ahead of the old Escape, a perennial best seller for Ford. Its moves are athletic and nimble, yet when equipped with the towing package, it can pull 3500 pounds. The Escape’s optional intelligent all-wheel-drive system gathers data from sensors and can preemptively split the torque between the axles through an electromagnetic clutch. There are two turbocharged EcoBoost engines, a potent 178-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder and a 240-hp 2.0-liter powerhouse. The more frugal Escape returns a laudable 33 mpg on the highway. The Escape offers a suite of optional safety systems and introduces the hands-free power liftgate to the segment (just kick your foot under the rear bumper to trigger a sensor). The all-new Escape is fun, smart, and practical—everything a PM Car of the Year should be.”

Read more: Ford Escape: The Popular Mechanics Car of the Year – Popular Mechanics